A man was killed and several others were injured after security forces opened fire during a Sunsari communal clash at Dewangunj Rural Municipality in Sunsari, in a Sunsari firing incident that has dominated Sunsari news. The incident was followed by protests, arson, vandalism and attacks across the district. The Dewanganj clash broke out at around midnight on Sunday in Kaptanganj, Dewanganj - 3 following a dispute between two groups. As the situation escalated, security personnel had to open fire to control the crowd. Om Prakash Mehta from Dewanganj - 4 sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and died while being taken to hospital. Nine people were wounded from the shots, whereas 13 security officials from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) were also injured.
Protests intensified the next day as protesters torched houses, shops, motorcycles, a tractor and other property in Dewanganj. A local resident was critically injured after being attacked with a sharp weapon, while incidents of assault and vandalism were also reported in Inaruwa and along the East–West Highway. According to the Nepal Police, the security forces used teargas, baton charges and warning shots before live ammunition was fired. However, eyewitnesses and human rights advocates questioned whether appropriate steps were taken to de-escalate the situation. The fact that the majority of those shot apparently suffered injuries above the knee or waist has also sparked concerns in the Sunsari shooting case.
As per the Local Administration Act and related regulations, security forces must only use the minimal amount of force required to restore public order. Only after all other crowd-control measures have failed and a sufficient warning has been issued may firearms be used as a last resort.
An indefinite curfew was imposed by the District Administration Office in some areas of Dewanganj and Harinagar while Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF) and the Nepali Army were deployed to prevent further violence. The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a committee headed by Joint Secretary Bhupendra Thapa consisting of five members for investigating the clash, force used and the power outage reported shortly before the firing. The committee also includes a representative from the Nepal Electricity Authority to examine the reported outage. A deadline has been set for the committee to submit its report within one week. The incident continues to remain among the top Koshi province news developments.
Source: The Kathmandu Post, Online Khabar
